21st century selling
Please, Please Please. Stop selling likes it’s 1999! There are far too many salespeople who still think that the things that were successful in the 1990s still apply to effectively selling to customers today in 2020.
Breaking news the 20th century is over. If we want to keep helping our customers solve their problems, we need to start thinking like 21st century professionals.
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Delusional Forecasting
As we begin the new year how does your opportunity pipeline look? Too many business owners build their annual forecasts based on myth. They set goals that are unrealistic and often bae them on fiction. The fiction they use is the bad data in their CRM. Some times they are not even using a CRM. They just have a list of suspects that they believe are prospects.
How do you know if your forecast is real? You have to first understand your data. The problem however is too many leaders do things to sabotage themselves. The require the entry of false data into the CRM, so they end up with false reports. Then they act surprised when things do work out as planned.
There are ways to understand if your data is real. Unfortunately, too many leaders are not willing to do the things necessary to really gain true understanding. They would prefer to believe in the hype. They hope for the best. All successful business people know, hope is not a strategy.
So how can you know for sure if your forecast for this year is accurate? You could work with someone who has a decade of experience developing 100% accurate revenue forecasts up to 2 years out.
But you would have to be willing to take a deep hard look at your business. If you want to be like the ostrich and just stick your head in the sand, go ahead. But while you are ignoring the danger signs your competitors will be busy taking your customers, and winning the competitive bids that you thought you had in the bag.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by doing a factual pipeline review.
So, what are waiting for?
Its January 3rd now is the time to schedule an opportunity assessment and start the year armed with the knowledge of exactly where you will end 2019.
Or you could just keep guessing, and see how that works out for you. Do you think that’s what your competitors are doing?
Contact us and find out what your real 2019 forecast is today.
What can an independent business adviser do for you?
As we come in to the final stretch of 2018 have you thought about your business plans for 2019?
How is your strategy looking? Are you meeting your sales targets? If not why?
Are you considering new marketing programs or campaigns? Is account based marketing something that will be part of your plans? How about content marketing? Do you need to revise you CRM? If you don’t have a CRM is now the time to implement one?
All of these questions can weigh heavily on a business owner. You might feel overwhelmed with all of the decisions you need to make. The good news is you are not alone.
If you had someone who has not only been a business owner, but a sales professional, marketing professional, training professional, and much more. You can be confident that you can get sound advise that can help you with your growth plans for the up coming year.
The only way to find out if an adviser is right for you is to ask. Why not ask today. You may find it’s one of the best things you did all year.